1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for controlling the progress of a match game in which a group composed of a head character and a follower character which acts in accordance with action instructions of the head character competes with another team.
2. Description of the Related Art
In actual baseball games, if a manager is not skillful or not experienced, famous players with high ability, veteran players and the like often seem to act on their own judgment without following instructions of the manager. On the other hand, such as when a manager is skillful or experienced in leading a team to win the title, even famous players and veteran players have a respect for the manager and have a higher tendency to act in accordance with the manager's instructions. In actual baseball, such a subtle power relationship between players and a manager is one important element which influences the atmosphere of a team and the players' play and livens up a game. Accordingly, if such an element that players act or do not act as instructed by a manager in view of a power relationship between the players and the manager is incorporated into a baseball game, it is thought that reality of the baseball game is increased and the baseball game can be made more interesting and enjoyable.
On the other hand, although a game player plays a game as a manager in some of conventional baseball games, it is limited to merely give certain instructions to players as the manager and a relationship between the manager and the players is not particularly considered. For example, JP2001-137555 discloses a match game using a communication line. In paragraphs [0023] to [0026] of this publication, it is disclosed that a command can be selected as a manager and a game player can enjoy a game as if he were a manager or the like and also that the command can be selected at least at one of the following timings; every game, for each opponent, every inning, every pitch, for each pitcher, every at-bat, for each batter and for each runner. Note that patent literature 1 further discloses that a game property is improved by incorporating real-world information.
However, in patent literature 1, after a game player as a manager selects a command, a game progresses merely in accordance with the command and a subtle power relationship between the players and the manager as described above and the like are not considered there.